Functional fitness has become quite the key phrase the past 10 years. We’ve evolved from Jane Fonda step choreography in your living room to entire families swiping their gym key tags each week. We know that a gym is a home for fitness, so we invested in rig systems. Why? Because rigs offer versatility in a convenient one-stop-strength-shop system.
Health conscious people finally have a greater acceptance and reverence of strength training. Big thanks to fitness coaches for teaching people how it helps to create desirable aesthetics and achieve functional fitness goals.
Want to lose weight? Hit the weights!
Need to gain strength and add muscle? You’ll weight train 2-3 times per week
Care about helping to care for your grandkids? You know you need the strength to pick them up when they fall and speed to catch them from running into the street!
You know the benefits of resistance training but we at PFT have a responsibility to bring the best information and tools to our members. Fads and distractions like the shake-weight lead people astray. Gyms like Platinum Fitness invest in equipment that is attractive but extremely functional and aim to help its members best utilize it.
Precor QueenAx
(See the full movement (pictured left) on our Instagram page and be sure to follow us!)
Precor QueenAx systems stand in Platinum Fitness Hanover and Platinum Fitness Carlisle. The tool options allow you to easily maneuver from one exercise to the next with a few swift adjustments. You could opt to work in a circuit fashion as well. Group training programs will usually work around different stations configured for a full body workout session.
Conventional strength training is fantastic and the basic exercises are still used today for a reason. We encourage exercises like squats, pushes, pulls and carries into a strength program. Systems like the QueenAx, with all its variety and versatility, encourage greater muscle integration equating to greater strength, mobility, flexibility and coordination potential. The QueenAx system offers the spice of variety.
A tool is only as good as one’s ability to use it for good. So let’s drill down on these rigs!
A vertical press machine will isolate a particular muscle group. Pushups are the inverted body weight version of barbell bench press – each utilizing gravity and load. More dynamic movements like pushups on a suspended bar informs your muscle groups how to work in unison. Lowering the QueenAx fitness bar and setting up for pushups, either single-side elevated or both hands, you’ll add the greater element of stability. Check it out here and try it on your own.
Lower body exercises are also intensified. You will raise the fitness bar (literally) to incorporate squat movements. You’ll utilize your body weight + gravity but will be guided and supported by the hanging bar. Click here to see how to perform single leg squats and incorporate it into your strength program next week. Take notice of any discrepancies you notice between your right and left side and work to improve imbalances with your isolated exercises.
Let’s not forget the almighty core! You’ll notice a trampoline positioned on an angle and while you may be tempted to jump that’s not is intended function. The rebounder can be used so many ways but the most popular exercises are for core work. Check out this video for 20 different exercise ideas and check out our very own trainer, Megan, showing you how to do sit-ups.
Rogue Rig
One of these bad boys calls Platinum Fitness Mechanicsburg home and another is hot off the assembly line at Platinum Fitness Harrisburg. So what makes the rig system so special? Versatility, minimal real estate space, ease of use and a high function to low cost benefit!
There are six stations that can be used for squats, incline pressing, decline pressing, flat bench, and more. Adjust the height of the J-Cups (pictured right) to suit the exercise you are performing. 
Use spotter arms for squat movements to safely catch the bar if you fail in the lift. Standing pressing movements don’t typically require spotter arms because because bumper plates allow for weights to be dropped from high levels.
A lifter can roll a mobile adjustable bench in place for incline, decline, or flat presses. Safety spotter arms won’t help much on pressing movements because they’d typically have to be placed below the lowest range of motion so you’ll still need to use caution. Olympic lifts will still be performed on the platform area with bumper plates, but overhead pressing just got easier with a rack to lift from.
The top bars of the rig can be used for even more exercise options like pullups and hanging leg raises. We position TRX suspension systems off the ends of the rigs in our facilities, allowing fitness coaches to easily move between exercises with clients.
Check out our Mechanicsburg rig rocking and learn the ropes by letting us help you – click here!
